Three's a Crowd, Four's a Double Date
by Aerle
Summary: "We're not dating," Marco said definitively. "That we're sharing a bed tonight is a total coincidence."


**Commissioned by Niniel-karenine, based on the prompt "our roommates are fucking and its gotten to the point where we're so sick of hearing go at it all night that we have keys to each other place to escape them".**

 **Thanks MyLadyDay for suggesting the title.**

 **Warning: explicit sexual content**

* * *

A sweet smell of something baking in the oven woke Ace up, and he yawned, briefly wondering when all those clothes had been piled on top of him. Then he remembered he had piled his clothes on a chair when he had changed a few times for a date last night and hadn't bothered to clean them up. Since he was sprawled out on the couch, Thatch must have thrown them on top of him to be able to sit in the chair.

Thatch was not in sight now, however, but his singing indicated that he was in the kitchen, the same location as the smell was coming from. Following his nose, Ace pushed open the kitchen door. On the counter, a cake was cooking off, and Thatch had his back turned to him, humming as he did the dishes.

Silent as a mouse, Ace snuck into the kitchen, trying not to make a sound. He had almost reached the cake, when Thatch suddenly whipped around, smacking Ace on the hand with a wet, but clean, spatula.

"Don't!" he said warningly.

Ace pouted and rubbed his painful hand. "Why not?" he whined.

"It's not for you." Thatch turned back to the dishes. "Don't even think about it," he said when Ace took a step in the direction of the counter, though he hadn't turned around.

"Who's it for then?" Ace asked as he started to search the kitchen for food. It was a good thing Thatch liked to keep things stocked, a quality he very much valued in a roommate, because Ace very much liked to eat, but wasn't that well trained in doing groceries. "Do we get visitors?"

"Close." Thatch put the last plate in the drying rack and dried his hands. "We have new neighbours."

"We had old ones?" Ace asked confusedly, sticking his head in a cabinet, but made a face when all he found was dried beans and rice.

"Obviously. We live in an apartment complex!" Thatch rolled his eyes, or so Ace assumed by the tone of his voice, because he was still looking for food.

Ace straightened again and shrugged. "How should I know someone lived next to us? I never heard anyone or met someone in the hallway."

"Well, that's why I've baked a banana bread," Thatch said and gestured to the cake. "We should know our neighbours, so I'm going to welcome them to the building. Wanna come?"

"If you want someone to eat your experiments, you could have asked me," Ace said in a plaintive voice.

"I wanted to do something neighbourly. You're welcome to join me."

"What if they're stupid people?" Ace protested.

"What if they're great people?" Thatch countered. "Besides, I'm giving them a cake, not inviting them over or something. Come on." Picking up the baking tin with the banana bread, Thatch made for the door.

Grumbling, Ace followed him, though it was mostly for show. He didn't mind new people, provided they weren't stupid, but he had looked forward to a quiet afternoon. When he entered the hallway, he saw that Thatch had already knocked on the door.

They heard some rustling about inside, before the door was opened by a beautiful man. "Yes?" he asked.

Ace waited until Thatch started so speak, and when he failed to do so, Ace peered around him to look at his face. Thatch was staring at the man who had opened the door, his mouth hanging open, making him resemble a goldfish. He stuttered a few incomprehensible syllables.

Ace exchanged a look with the man. "Ehm," he said, "I think what my friend is trying to say is, 'Hi, we're your new neighbours. I'm Thatch and the handsome fellow beside me is Ace.' Thank you, Thatch, you flatter me. He baked you a banana bread as a 'welcome to the building' gift, right Thatch?" Ace elbowed him in the ribs.

"Banana bread," Thatch suddenly sputtered.

Ace rolled his eyes. "Yes, I think we've already established that. You'll have to forgive my friend," he said, turning to his new neighbour. "Usually, he appears smarter than this."

"I think he's charming," the man said with a smile, taking the banana bread from Thatch and smelling it. "It smells amazing."

That seemed to break Thatch's trance. He smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, I baked it."

"So I've heard. I'm Izo." He offered his hand to Thatch, who seemed to be at loss whether to shake it or kiss it. "Please come in. Marco," he called over his shoulder, "we have visitors!"

Over Izo's shoulder, Ace could see another man in the apartment, carrying what appeared to be a very heavy box.

"That's great. Can you help me?" the man, Marco, asked slightly out of breath.

"I can't. I have my hands full." Izo held up the banana bread.

Since Izo refused to help and Thatch did not seem to realise that there were other people beside Izo around, Ace hastened himself past Izo to help Marco out. He took the other side of the box and helped him put it down.

"Thanks," Marco said, wiping his forehead. "I'm Marco." He held out his hand.

"Ace. I'm your new neighbour. Well, technically, you're mine, since I was living here already." He grinned at Marco.

"It's nice to have a helpful neighbour since my roommate certainly isn't." Marco's voice sounded accusingly, and his eyes darted at Izo.

Izo shrugged. "I thought we agreed I was the brains and you the brawn. Come, help me make coffee for our guests."

"I think that's a job for the brains," Marco said, rolling his eyes as he let himself fall on the couch.

Ace snickered and walked to the door to get Thatch, who was still standing in the hallway. Taking him by the arm, he gently pulled him inside. "Marco, this is Thatch. He baked the bread. Sorry, it appears that Izo has a certain effect on him."

"That happens a lot." Marco rose from the couch to shake Thatch's hand. Now that Izo was out of sight, Thatch's brain seemed to function normally again, and he took Marco's extended hand. After that, Marco started to tidy up a bit, even though it didn't really help as there were still boxes everywhere. "Excuse the mess," he said, combing with a hand through his blond hair.

"Please, you should see our place." Despite his earlier reservations, Ace was actually glad that Thatch had made him come along. Marco seemed like an okay guy, as did Izo. At least they seemed to be comfortable around each other, which gave a relaxed atmosphere.

"So, where did you move from?" Ace asked.

"Sabaody. It's just a small village, so I can understand if you never heard of it," Marco said.

"Can't say that I have. You?" Ace asked Thatch, who shook his head. "Why did you move here?" Ace continued.

"I got a new job here. Izo just came along." Marco grinned at Izo, who just entered with a tray with a coffee pot, some cups and small plates with pieces of banana bread. Thatch immediately sat up, looking like a puppy expecting a treat.

"I work from home, so it doesn't matter where I live," Izo explained, after kicking Marco lightly in the shin. "Marco has proved to be a useful roommate, so I came along." He took a seat next to Thatch, much to Thatch's delight, and handed out the cake and coffee.

Ace took his cup and immediately started to scoop out sugar from the sugar bowl and into his coffee. Marco's eyebrows rose higher with every spoonful that landed in his coffee, a mild look of disgust on his face. Ace just grinned at him and took a sip.

They talked about this, that and the other for a while, but the longer the conversation lasted, the more Ace noticed that Thatch and Izo seemed to be lost in their own world. They only asked each other questions, and when Ace or Marco replied, they barely seemed to take notice. Thatch had recovered from his initial shock of seeing Izo and was actually flirting with him. Izo did not seem to mind at all.

When Marco went to the kitchen to make more coffee, Ace hastened himself after him. "Can I help you with something?" he asked a little too eagerly. In the living room with just Thatch and Izo, he felt like the third wheel.

"Making coffee is hardly a two-man job, but I welcome the company," Marco replied. He took the tin that held the coffee and scooped several spoons into the coffee maker.

"Can I ask you something?" Ace asked while he was working. When Marco hummed to indicate that he was listing, Ace continued, "You and Izo, you're just roommates, right? Or are you a couple? I'm asking because I'm pretty sure Thatch likes him."

Marco barked out a laugh. "Oh, don't worry, we're friends, that's all." As the coffee maker started to percolate, he turned around and leaned against the counter, a pensive look on his face. "It's odd to see Izo warm up to a stranger so quick, though."

"Is that a bad thing?" Ace inquired.

"No, no. Not for him." Marco stared into space.

"But… bad for you?" Ace asked curiously.

Marco seemed to start from his thoughts. "No, I didn't mean it like that." He sighed. "It's just, usually, Izo takes longer before deciding he likes someone. Mind you, when he does, it's impossible to get rid of him." He scratched the back of his head, seemingly embarrassed. "Neither of us have many friends, so it usually feels like it's us against the world, you know? I'm happy for him, though, really."

"You're jealous," Ace concluded, a smirk creeping up his face.

"Not jealous," Marco protested. "Just… Okay, maybe a little, because he talks to Thatch so easily."

"You're talking to me," Ace pointed out.

Marco blinked at him, as if he only now realised that was the case. "I guess I am," he said pensively.

Ace grinned at him.

Along with fresh coffee and more banana bread, Ace and Marco walked back into the living room. Izo had taken Ace's former seat next to Thatch on the couch and was sitting closer than necessary. Ace exchanged a look with Marco and sat down in the chair previously occupied by Izo. Thatch and Izo were practically in each other's laps, and Thatch didn't even notice that Marco had refilled his cup until Ace dangled it in front of his face. He only took his eyes off Izo took take the cup.

Ace tried talking to Marco and ignoring Thatch and Izo at the same time, but eventually, he had enough. "We should let you get back to unpacking," he said as he started to drag a heavily protesting Thatch towards the door. "Thanks for the coffee!" he called over his shoulder.

When he had pulled the door shut behind him, he started to scold Thatch. "You could have behaved a little in there!"

"I was on my best behaviour," Thatch protested and then smirked. "I didn't hear Izo complain."

"What about Marco? What about _me_? Do you know how awkward it is to sit next to people who are only interested in each other?" Ace huffed.

"No on forced you to sit with us," Thatch said, crossing his arms before his chest. "You know where our house is."

"I was being polite!"

"Since when are you polite? Anyway, shouldn't you be happy for me I found someone I like?" Thatch opened the door of their apartment.

"Are you sure it's wise it hook up with our neighbour? What if it doesn't work out?" Ace asked seriously.

Thatch shrugged. "What if it does?" He walked inside.

"You can't just keep turning around my arguments!" Ace called indignantly, before storming after him.

* * *

A week passed, and Ace fell into a normal routine with his new neighbours. He nodded at them when they passed in the hallway or when they met at the mailboxes, or chatted about the weather. Thatch, on the other hand, had disregarded Ace's advice and had asked Izo out when Izo came to return the baking tin. They already went on three dates the past week, and it seemed to go really well.

While Ace was happy for Thatch, it did mean that Thatch had less time for him. It was quiet in the apartment when he got home, something he was not used to at all. He hadn't been living with Thatch long, but his previous roommates had been anything but quiet. Thatch wasn't loud per se, but he was often singing when he was cooking, and there was always the sound of pots and pans. Ace didn't want to admit it, but he was getting lonely.

Thatch not being around also meant that he had less time to cook for Ace. As Ace had been forbidden to even think about cooking himself – something about a small incident where he almost burned down a building when trying to heat up soup – he was dependent on take-out food.

Through his grandfather, Ace had gotten a job as assistant at a law firm. It didn't pay much, which was why he had needed a roommate – even if he had struck gold when Thatch applied to his ad – and the hours were long. Ace had often thought about quitting, because he didn't even like the work, but since his grandfather refused to pay the rent and he had no savings, he couldn't until he had found an alternative, which he had no time and energy to find because of his current job.

This night, as many nights, Ace just wanted to collapse on the couch and watch some stupid show, preferably with Thatch, because that usually meant there would be food. However, when he entered the apartment, it was void of Thatch, and Ace sighed. Still, the television was calling him, and Ace let himself fall on the couch.

Before he turned the device on, however, his ear caught an odd thumping sound. Curious, Ace rose from the couch again, ignoring his protesting legs, and wandered around the apartment, looking for the source. Oddly enough, it seemed to become louder the closer Ace came to Thatch's room. Then he suddenly heard moaning, and his eyes widened.

Without thinking, he fled the apartment and pulled the door shut behind him. He didn't consider himself to be a prude, but knowing his roommate and friend had sex and actually hearing it happening were two different things entirely. Their walls were much thinner than Ace had realised before. He had never taken anyone home yet while Thatch lived with him, nor the other way around, so it had never really been an issue.

He leaned against the wall opposite to the door to his apartment. Now that the shock had worn off a little, he realised that in his haste, he had pulled the door shut and he had left his key inside. He hardly felt like knocking on his own door while Thatch was busy inside. What should he do?

He was just contemplating going out to find something to eat, when Marco came up the stairs. He looked up surprised when he found Ace in the middle of the hallway.

"Hi," he said. "Did you lose your key?"

"Something like that," Ace said hesitantly, the thumping sound and moaning playing vividly in his head.

"Do you need me to call the super?" Marco asked as he dug up his own key from his pocket and put it in the lock.

"Thatch and Izo are having sex in my house," Ace suddenly blurted out.

Marco's hand stilled and he turned around, his eyebrows raised. "Really?"

"I heard them," Ace said. It came out whinier than he had intended.

"You poor thing," Marco said with mock-sympathy. "Do you want to wait inside until they're done?" He gestured invitingly to the opened door of his apartment.

Whether he was joking or not, Ace decided to take him up on his offer, and huffing, he walked past Marco into his house.

"Make yourself at home," Marco said.

Ace intended to do just that, uncaring that he had only been to Marco's house once before and didn't know him all that well. He was dying for company that weren't his obnoxious co-workers who thought they were better than him because they went to law school. At least Marco was a down to earth kind of guy, and he was pleasant enough.

He let himself fall on the couch and took out his phone. "Do you mind if I order some food?" When Marco shook his head when he sorted the mail that he had probably picked up on his way up, Ace asked, "You want something too?"

"What are you going to order?"

"Pizza?" Ace suggested. He had the pizza place under the speed dial.

"Sure."

"Any preference?"

"Surprise me," Marco said. "If you don't mind, I'm going to change." He retreated into his room.

After Ace had ordered two pizzas, he placed his phone on the armrest of the couch and let his eyes wander around the apartment. The lay-out was the same as his own. The bedrooms and the kitchen were in the same place as they were next door. The last time he was here, the room had been littered with boxes, but they had all disappeared now and the walls were decorated with all kinds of drawings and photos. The drawings appeared to be of Izo's hand, judging by the signature, but it were the pictures that captured his attention. He couldn't put his finger on it why, but somehow, he liked them a lot.

He was just looking at a black and white one of a dark haired woman wearing sunglasses when Marco entered the room again. Instead of his suit, he was wearing sweatpants and a loose shirt. When he saw Ace looking at the picture, he paused for a second before he smiled.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"I do. Where did you get it?" Ace asked.

"I took it."

"Really?" Ace looked back at the photograph. "It's really good."

"Thank you." Marco walked into the kitchen. "It's just a hobby, really. Do you want something to drink? I have soda, juice, beer…"

"Beer, please." Ace sat back down on the couch and looked around pensively. "Did you take all those pictures?"

Marco sat down next to him and handed him his drink. "Most of them, yes."

"You should become a professional."

Marco smiled. "I wish. There's not really that much money in that business."

Ace grinned. "Well, if you ever need a model…" He took a sip from his beer, leaning back in his seat. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment.

"Long day?" Marco asked.

Ace opened his eyes again. "Yeah. You don't want to hear about it," he said dismissively.

"Maybe I do."

Ace looked up surprised, but while he had no intention of sharing his misery, the words came pouring out before he knew it. He had a lot more built up inside than he had realised. Maybe he should have called his brothers to vent, as they were used to it, but Marco was a good listener. He didn't interrupt Ace at all, only taking a sip from his drink every now and then.

Ace only stopped venting when the doorbell rang because the pizza was there. He felt a little bad for laying it all on Marco, but he hadn't appeared to be disinterested. Still, over dinner, Ace would let him talk.

Marco took the pizzas from the delivery person and paid, before closing the door. He took out some plates and cutlery. Ace decided not to say that he never ate pizza with cutlery, and when it came in a box, why one would need a plate. Marco seemed to prefer to do it properly – he had been drinking his beer from a glass as well, instead of from the bottle.

Marco opened one of the pizza boxes and frowned. "Please don't tell me this one's for me," he said sighing, looking at the Hawaiian pizza.

Ace opened the other box, which contained the one with extra meat. "You said you didn't care," he pointed out.

"I don't, but…" Marco sighed again. "Never mind."

"Tell me," Ace pressed.

"It's a long story."

"I've been talking the whole time." Ace sat down at the table and looked expectantly at Marco.

Marco combed with a hand through his hair. "It's just… Some friends of mine seem to think that my hair looks like a pineapple. I haven't eaten the fruit since."

"That's not a long story," Ace said confusedly.

"I just say that when I don't want to tell it," Marco explained.

"Oh. Well, you can have mine if you want," Ace offered. "Or pick the pineapple off and give it to me."

"Nah, it's fine. I guess it's time I got over it." Marco took the pizza from the box and placed it on a plate. "I used to love pineapple." He cut of a piece and brought it to his mouth, but stopped when he caught Ace staring at him. "What?"

"I think I see why they compared your hair to a pineapple."

"No, you don't," Marco said sharply. "Eat your food."

Ace laughed and started to eat. He was really hungry, after all. While they ate, Ace asked Marco some questions about work, to get him to talk. It took a while to get him going, but once he started to feel more comfortable, Marco had many stories to tell. He started with his job, but soon turned to travels he had made. His face lit up when he talked about his photographs. Ace asked if he could see some more, which resulted in hours of looking at them on Marco's laptop. Usually, Ace got easily bored when watching someone else's pictures, but Marco had such an animated way of telling the story behind the photo that Ace was too engrossed in the story to be bored.

It was already late when Ace asked, "Do you think they're done already?"

Marco looked confused for a moment, but when he realised who Ace was talking about, he laughed. "If they aren't, they have a lot of stamina. But if it makes you feel better, you can sleep on the couch here."

"Are you sure?" Ace asked, feeling like he had imposed enough. However, the offer sounded tempting, considering that Thatch and Izo might repeat their actions in the morning, and Ace really didn't want to wake up to that.

Marco shrugged. "I won't be using it." He rose and disappeared into one of the bedrooms. When he came back, he was holding a pillow, blanket and bedclothes.

Ace helped him make up the couch. When they were done, Ace said, "Thanks. I know you think I'm silly…"

Marco grinned. "A little, but I don't mind, really. I had fun tonight."

"Me too." Ace covered himself with the blanket and made himself comfortable, considering he wasn't feeling like knocking on his own door to get his toothbrush. "Good night!"

* * *

When Marco entered the living room the next morning, Ace still lay curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Marco had to smile. He hadn't expected to have so much fun last night, considering that he didn't know Ace that well, or hadn't known that well before last night. He hadn't expected either that he would invite Ace to sleep over, but he couldn't see the harm in it, if it made Ace feel better.

To be honest, Marco had been a little lonely ever since Izo had started dating Thatch. He didn't see Izo all that often anymore, and he still hadn't made new friends in this new city, aside from Ace now. It had been nice to talk to someone again.

Marco walked silently to the bathroom and turned on the shower. When he was done, he could hear voices coming from the living room, indicating that Ace was awake, but wasn't alone. Curious, Marco put on his bathrobe and exited the bathroom.

Izo and Thatch were standing hand in hand near the door, Thatch with a sheepish look on his face. Ace had cleared up the couch and was now sitting with his arms crossed before his chest, slightly pouting.

Thatch turned to Marco, scratching the back of his head. "Ah, sorry that we chased Ace away so you got stuck with him. That wasn't our intention."

"He's going to make me breakfast to make it up to me," Ace said, trying to keep a serious face, but failing miserably. "You're welcome to join too."

"We came here to get some eggs. I have already something in the oven at our place," Thatch said invitingly.

Despite the fact that Ace hadn't been an inconvenience at all, Marco decided to take Thatch up on his offer. After he put on some pants, of course. However, he couldn't help but wonder if Ace had experienced the evening as an inconvenience after all. He hadn't gotten that feeling, but perhaps he had gone a little overboard by showing Ace almost all of his photos. Ace could have only been polite when he said he wanted to see some more.

However, it soon turned out that Ace hadn't been bored with Marco at all. He started to come over more often, when Thatch and Izo were at Ace's apartment. They tried to better themselves, but they just weren't capable at keeping their hands to themselves, which resulted in awkward conversations when Marco or Ace where there.

Ace slept over so often that Marco decided to buy him a toothbrush, since Ace always forgot his own. At first, Marco teased Ace with the fact that he was chased out of his apartment so often, but the first time Izo and Thatch had sex in his apartment, Marco didn't know how fast he had to knock on Ace's door. He had remembered to bring his toothbrush, however.

The real proof that Ace seemed to enjoy spending time with him was that he also started coming over when Thatch and Izo weren't present at all. Often, he came around dinner time. Sometimes, they ordered food, alternating between who paid, but Marco cooked himself at other times. Ace wasn't allowed near the stove, as Marco had heard one story too many about how he almost set fire to his apartment, but he did help with cutting meat and vegetables. They talked the entire time, and if they were too tired, they watched television together. They soon fell into a comfortable routine.

On a Friday night, Marco had fled his apartment when Izo and Thatch came home from a particularly good date, given that they hadn't even noticed he was present before hurrying to Izo's bedroom. Marco knocked on the door of Ace's apartment. Surprisingly enough, when Ace opened the door, he was wearing a shirt, something he had soon stopped doing around Marco and which he had confided in Marco that he preferred not to do at all unless he needed to go out.

"Are you leaving?" Marco asked.

"I was about to. I told you, Sabo and Lu are coming to town." Ace's eyes were glistening with excitement.

"That's right." Marco tried not to sound too disappointed. Ace talked a lot about his friends and brothers, who lived on the other side of the country. Of course he had told Marco that they came to visit, but Marco had forgotten that was tonight.

"We're going out tonight. If you want, you can stay here, though, since I heard Izo and Thatch return. Which reminds me, I have something for you." Ace beckoned Marco inside and produced a key from somewhere. "Here. The key to this apartment. Now you can come in when you like, even when I'm not here." He beamed with pride.

"Thank you," Marco said surprised. "That's really sweet of you. I'll have a copy of mine made in the morning."

Ace laughed. "Sometimes I think that we should just be each other's roommates. Hey," he suddenly changed the subject, "do you want to come with me? Sabo and Lu would be happy to meet you."

"Really, I don't want to impose on your friends," Marco protested. "I can just wait here until Izo and Thatch are done and go back."

"Come on," Ace insisted. "Please? They might think I made you up."

Marco snorted. "Why would you do that? But I'm not dressed for a party and I don't want to go back in there…"

"You can borrow something of mine." Ace started dragging him to his room. "Come on, it's high time you found someone you like. Maybe you can even hook up with someone and give Thatch and Izo a taste of their own medicine."

Marco laughed. "I'd almost do that just for that reason. But I'm not a one night stand kind of guy."

"Then you can keep Luffy company. He's not interested in romance or sex anyway. They're really great people," Ace said. "I'd like them to meet my best friend."

It seemed there was no objecting possible, so Marco let himself be dragged into Ace's room and be dressed like a Barbie doll. To be honest, he was excited to meet the two most important people in Ace's life, even if he thought himself a little too old to go clubbing. Ace had talked about Sabo and Luffy so often that Marco already felt like he knew them a little. Sabo was going to university at the other side of the country and worked in a supermarket on the side, while Luffy did odd jobs every now and then to earn money. Ace had lived with them for a long time, until his grandfather had found him this job at the law firm. Ace had hated it, because he didn't like the work and because he had to move, but he had had no choice in the matter. Sabo couldn't come with him because of his studies, and Luffy had stayed because he already lived there. Ace missed them a lot.

Sabo and Luffy came sometimes for a weekend, like now. Marco had never met them before, because they hadn't come since Marco lived here.

Ace picked out some clothes, held them in front of Marco and discarded them again with a shake of his head. When he had finally decided on something that Marco found acceptable as well, Ace looked at the time and said they had to hurry. They would meet Sabo and Luffy at the train station before going to one club or another. Marco hastily changed and followed Ace outside.

When they arrived, Sabo and Luffy were already waiting. As soon as Luffy saw them, he jumped Ace and wrapped his arms and legs around them. Ace seemed to be used to this treatment, as he had already braced himself. "Hi guys," he said, beaming. "This is Marco. I told you I didn't make him up!"

Sabo shook Marco's hand and introduced himself. "We thought you were fake," he admitted to Marco. "No one aside from us can put up with this guy for so long." He rubbed his knuckles over Ace's head.

"Oi! Don't do that! I'm older!" Ace said indignantly. "Lu, let go." It took some effort to pry Luffy loose. "Say hello," Ace said strictly to him.

Luffy looked at Marco with owlish eyes. "Hi," he said and cocked his head to the side. "Do you poop?"

"Lu!" Ace hit him over the head. "Don't mind him," he said hastily to Marco.

"It's okay. Actually, I do," he told Luffy, who beamed at him.

Ace sighed. "Shall we just go?"

"Actually," Sabo cleared his throat, "instead of going to a club, why don't we just go to a pub or something to talk? I'd like to get to know Marco better and we have a lot of catching up to do."

"I'm hungryyyy," Luffy whined.

"You can eat there too," Sabo said. He looked at Ace expectantly.

"Yeah, sure. Though I've dressed Marco up for nothing then," Ace said jokingly. "He looks great, right? But I do know a great pub nearby." Wrapping his arms around Luffy and Sabo, he walked out of the station.

They ended up spending all night in the pub. Apparently, Ace knew the owner, a woman named Makino, and she gave him a good deal on all their beverages. Sabo and Luffy thought it necessary to interrogate Marco – at least it felt that way the way they fired questions at him. Ace tried to help him, but sometimes he was curious too and made Marco answer. In turn, Marco asked a lot of question to Sabo and Luffy.

At the end of the evening, Ace was thoroughly drunk and was leaning heavily on Marco when they walked home, who wasn't all too sober either. Sabo wasn't in a much better state and neither was Luffy, even though he hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol. He had, however, eaten an impressive amount of chicken wings, so he seemed to be drunk on meat.

Inside their building, Ace kept shushing everyone, even if he was the loudest of them all. He dug up his keys from his pocket and managed to drop them three times before he had a decent grip on them. However, he was not able to get the key into the lock, as he was swaying too much. Marco had to help him.

When the door was finally opened, Ace whispered, "Are you coming too, Marco? You can share the fold out couch with Sabo, or you can take my bed, if you don't mind sharing a single bed?"

"How about I go to my own bed?" Marco whispered back. "Izo and Thatch should be asleep by now."

"But it's more fun when you're here," Ace whined and wrapped his arms around Marco, pulling him close. Marco caressed his hair.

"Don't mind him, he always gets clingy when he's drunk," Sabo said softly. Luffy had fallen asleep against the wall and was snoring softly.

"You can always pick me up in the morning," Marco said. "Come on, go to bed." He tried to push Ace off him, and when that didn't work, dragged himself inside with Ace still attached to him while Sabo lifted up Luffy. Marco helped him put Luffy in Ace's bed after he had pried Ace loose, and then helped to pull out the sofa bed. Ace immediately fell onto the mattress and was already half asleep before Marco had left the apartment.

* * *

The next morning, Ace, Sabo and Luffy picked Marco up to go to a funfair. Sabo and Luffy seemed to like him as much as Ace did; in fact, it had been Luffy to suggest to take Marco with them. Marco seemed a bit reluctant at first, stating that he didn't want to impose on their time together, but when they all three insisted they wanted him to come along, he did. Ace was convinced Marco had had a great time in the end.

Sabo and Luffy stayed until Monday, and they dragged Marco around all weekend, except Monday, because he had to work then. Ace had taken the day off for the occasion.

When he had put Luffy and Sabo on the train back home again, Ace felt strangely empty, like he always did when his brothers left, but fortunately, Marco was home that night to comfort him.

"You really should quit your job here and move back to your brothers if it makes you so miserable to be apart from them," Marco said as he pulled Ace close to him. They were sitting on the couch, watching a movie neither of them was very much interested in.

"I don't have any money saved, and everything I make goes to rent and food," Ace huffed. "Besides, if I move back, I'll be miserable because I miss you."

Marco toyed with Ace's hair, slight relief on his face. "I'll miss you too."

"Sabo'll graduate soon and then he'll move here too with Luffy," Ace said determinedly. "I'll quit my job then and we'll all live happily ever after."

Marco laughed, but he didn't contradict him. Instead, he said, "That reminds me, I have something for you." He held out the key to his apartment.

Ace beamed at him as he took it.

They were just focusing on the movie again, when suddenly Izo's voice sounded through the wall. "Well, fuck you too!" he yelled, followed by the sound of what Ace imagined was what it sounded like when one throws a plate against the wall.

Marco and Ace exchanged a shocked look, but another chinking sound came through the wall, indicating that Izo wasn't finished throwing dishes. Thatch's voice sounded too, though they couldn't hear what he said, only that he was angry. That surprised Ace the most. From Izo he knew he had a temper, but Thatch was usually very mellow and easy going. To hear him actually yell was rather disturbing.

Following Marco, Ace hastened himself to the apartment next door. Marco couldn't open the lock fast enough – he was probably worried he wouldn't have any service left if he waited too long.

Marco peered around the doorframe, but immediately pulled his head back when another dish shattered against the wall. He exchanged another look with Ace before entering the apartment. "What the hell is going on?" he asked angrily.

Thatch and Izo were at daggers drawn, Izo with a plate ready in his hand. When they saw Marco, they both started to talk, so Ace and Marco still had no idea why they were fighting. However, when Izo raised the plate threateningly, Marco grabbed his hand.

"These are _mine_ ," he said strictly.

"Then get me mine, because I still haven't hit him!" Izo snapped.

"Can you believe him?! He's crazy!" Thatch called, and Ace had to catch him to prevent him from flying at Izo. On the other side of the room, Marco did the same with Izo.

The two started yelling at each other again, and it didn't seem like either was going to explain why they were suddenly at each other's throats after weeks of dating and, frankly, being clingy. Deciding to let them cool off first, Ace started to drag Thatch out of the apartment and into theirs. The television was still playing the movie he and Marco had been watching, so he turned it off and sat Thatch down on the couch.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" he asked.

Thatch rose and walked to his room without a word, slamming the door shut behind him. The panes of glasses rattled from it, and Ace flinched. Not even a second later, he heard the same sound coming from the apartment next door.

Ace opened the door and walked into the hallway, waiting for Marco to do the same. "Did you get an explanation?" he asked when Marco joined him.

"I did not," Marco replied with a sigh. "And knowing Izo, I'm not sure if I'll get one at all."

"Yeah, we'd better let them cool off. I've never seen Thatch angry. It was kind of scary," Ace admitted, but he had barely finished the words, when the door of his apartment opened again.

"Don't talk to him, he's the enemy now!" Thatch barked, and before Ace could protest, he was pulled inside.

* * *

Over the next few days, Marco hardly saw more of Ace than a glimpse in the hallway. Like Thatch, Izo had declared both Thatch and Ace 'the enemy' and didn't allow Marco to speak to either of them. Now that he wasn't constantly with Thatch, it turned out that Izo was at home a lot, which meant Marco was watched almost the entire time.

Marco and Ace still communicated by texting, but they didn't dare to call each other, fearing to be caught by their roommates. It was definitely not the same as hanging out, however, and Marco missed Ace. Neither of them had managed to worm a proper reason for the fight out of either Thatch or Izo, so they had concluded that neither of them knew anymore what had started to fight.

After three days of silence, Ace sent Marco another text. ' _Put out the garbage._ '

Marco immediately realised that this meant that Ace would be putting out the garbage as well, which meant they could talk face to face. He didn't know how fast he had to grab the garbage bag from the dustbin – even though it was only half full – and called he was taking out the trash. Izo gave an uninterested response back.

At the rubbish skip, Ace was already waiting. He smiled when he saw Marco approach and barely waited until Marco had gotten rid of the trash before hugging him. "I missed you so much," he said dramatically, muffled because of Marco's shirt.

Marco laughed and patted him on the back. "I know. What do you propose that we do?"

Ace hummed and placed his head against Marco's shoulder. "We need to get them back together. I don't think they even know why they're fighting. It's so stupid, don't they realise that they're in love?"

"Some people are just dense, I guess," Marco agreed, caressing some hair out of Ace's face. "Do you think we should meddle?"

"I'm pretty sure they won't figure it out on their own," Ace said with a sigh. "But Thatch seems to be ready to make up. He was in tears last night because he misses Izo so much."

"That's a good start," Marco said. "I figured he would be the one to cave first. Izo can hold grudges for a long time. Now we only have to get them into the same apartment so they can talk it out."

Suddenly, a mischievous grin appeared in Ace's face and he held up the key to Marco's apartment. "I have an idea."

* * *

"Thank you for taking me out," Izo said to Marco when they stopped in front of their apartment. "It took my mind of the whole thing with Thatch." He paused for a second, before continuing, "And thank you for indulging me when it comes to Ace. I know you guys are close, but I appreciate that you stayed away from him."

"Sure," Marco replied, lying through his teeth. "Just… remember that I've been trying to help you."

Izo looked at him slightly confused for a moment, before he opened the door. The living room was bathed in candle light and delicious smells wafted from the kitchen. Izo stood frozen in the middle of the room, his eyes wide.

Thatch emerged from the kitchen, carrying a dish and pushed forward by Ace. He looked reluctantly at Izo and muttered, "He made me."

"This is for me?" Izo asked softly.

"Yup," Ace said with a grin. "All of this is for you. Now, hurry and make up already!" He finally seemed to notice Marco's gesturing that he should stop pushing and that they should leave. "Anyway," he continued, "we'll be next door if you need us. Please leave the dishes intact." He let himself be dragged out of the apartment when Marco took his hand.

When they were alone in the hallway, neither of them could resist pressing their ear against the door. Marco peered inside through the spy hole.

"What do you see?" Ace whispered.

"It's hard to see, but I think they're hugging," Marco replied. "I can hear music too."

"Thank God," Ace sighed in relief. "Man, getting people back together is exhausting."

"How about," Marco put his arm around Ace's shoulders, "we go finish that movie we started?"

Ace hummed. "That sounds nice."

They went into Ace's apartment and ended up lying together on the couch, Ace's head on Marco's chest. The movie was long over when Marco stretched himself and Ace startled awake.

"Bed time?" Marco asked with a smile.

Ace hummed in agreement and rose reluctantly from the couch. When he had reached the linen closet to get out the bed clothes for the couch, he stopped and turned around. "Say, Marco."

Marco looked up.

"Folding the couch in and out every time you sleep over is such a fuss, don't you think?"

"What did you have in mind?" Marco asked.

"My bed is already made. We could share, if you don't mind to snuggle a bit."

"I don't mind," Marco replied. "I'll just go get my toothbrush."

"Be careful you don't run into anything," Ace called after him.

Marco opened the door of his apartment with his key as loud as he could so Thatch and Izo knew he was approaching. "Don't mind me, I'm not even here," he said, holding one hand against his face to obscure his view to the couch where Izo and Thatch were sitting on, even though it didn't seem they were doing anything distrurbing. "I'm just picking up my toothbrush."

"Marco?" Izo asked.

Assuming they were decent enough, Marco turned around. Both Thatch and Izo were fully dressed, though their hair was a bit dishevelled. It seemed they had indeed made up, as Thatch had his arm draped around Izo.

"What is it?" Marco asked. "Congrats on making up, by the way."

"It's thanks to you and Ace," Izo said. "Which is why I want to return the favour."

Marco looked at him confusedly, even more so when Izo sat up and looked like he was about to give Marco 'the talk'.

"Marco, are you and Ace dating?" Izo asked with a serious look on his face, his head resting on his knuckles.

"No," Marco replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you certain?"

"I think I'd know if I was dating Ace," Marco said, scoffing. "What gave you that idea?"

"Well, let's see." Izo started counting on his fingers. "One, you two are always together. Two, neither of you is dating someone else, nor has done in the time you two know each other. And somehow, I don't think that would happen anytime soon either."

"We're not dating," Marco said definitively. "That we're sharing a bed tonight is a total coincidence."

Izo and Thatch exchanged a look.

"Anyway," Marco continued, "I'm just going to get my toothbrush so I won't bother you anymore. Good night!" He walked to the bathroom, grabbed his toothbrush and left the apartment again.

However, Izo's words had made an impression on him, because he had made some valid points. Frowning, Marco walked into Ace's bathroom, where Ace was brushing his teeth in his boxers. When he saw Marco enter, he smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" Marco asked, squeezing some toothpaste on his toothbrush after having made it wet. When Ace hummed and spit in the sink, he continued, "Are we dating?"

Much to his surprise, Ace didn't deny it right away like Marco had. Instead, he pulled a thoughtful face and continued brushing. When he had spat again, he turned to Marco. "What makes you ask?"

"Izo asked if we were, and he made some good points to suggest that we already are." Marco started brushing his teeth.

Ace hummed again and chewed on his toothbrush. "Would you like us to?"

"I don't know," Marco admitted. "I mean, we basically already are. The only thing we don't do is kiss and have sex, but those aren't requirements per se."

"Maybe we should try kissing?" Ace suggested. "If we don't like it, we can just go back to not kissing."

Marco shrugged and spat out his toothpaste. "Alright." After he had rinsed his mouth, he leaned in and pressed a peck on Ace's lips. "What do you think?" he asked when he had pulled back.

"Minty fresh," Ace said with a grin, but when Marco shot him a deadpanned look, he shrugged. "It wasn't really a proper kiss, now was it?"

Marco had to admit that much, but before he could lean in again, Ace had already pressed his lips against his, wrapping his arms around Marco's neck. Marco stumbled, but managed to keep his balance. Kissing Ace was much nicer than he had expected, and he started to wonder why they had only started doing it now. Somehow, it felt like it was both their first kiss, but also it was comfortable, as if they had been doing it for a long time.

When they parted, Ace's cheeks were slightly flushed, and Marco decided that he liked that sight.

"I think we should go steady," Ace said decisively. "Officially, I mean," he hastily added.

Marco smiled. "I agree. I very much enjoyed that. Though, I don't think we should do any more tonight."

"Nothing else, no, but I am going to kiss you some more." Taking Marco by the hand, Ace led him to his bedroom."

* * *

"What's this?" Izo asked, surprised, when Ace and Marco pressed a cake box into his hand. He placed it on the table, and Thatch came standing next to him curiously when he removed the lid.

" _Thank you for telling us we were dating already_ ," Thatch read aloud the neatly curled letters on the cake.

"We had to have that especially made, can you believe that?" Ace said, sounding almost indignantly. "As if this never happens to people."

"Most people are a little less dense," Izo said with a roll of his eyes. "But thank you for the cake."

Things were working out great between Ace and Marco, even though it had only been a few days, so they had decided to properly thank Izo for his observation. It was Ace's idea to get a cake. Of course, he had also told Sabo and Luffy that he was now dating Marco, but Sabo had just asked if they hadn't been when they came to visit and Luffy had only been interested if there was a wedding soon, as there was supposed to be lots of meat there.

Tonight, they would have their first official date, and Ace was looking forward to it. However, once he was busy changing in his room, alone, he was suddenly starting to get nervous, though he wasn't sure why. It was Marco he was going out with, after all, yet he couldn't shake the feeling.

When he left his room, he asked Thatch, "How do I look?"

"You look fine. Why do you care though? Marco has seen you at your worst, so why would he care what you look like?" Thatch replied.

"I know, but it's still our first date…"

"Look, if he showed up in nothing but sweatpants, would you care?" Thatch asked.

"The restaurant we're going to might complain," Ace said with a chuckle. "But you're right, I wouldn't care."

There was a knock on the door, and as soon as Marco came at the door and smiled at him, Ace's nerves melted away. He smiled back. "You look good," he said as he eyed Marco up and down, and bit his lip, "really good."

"Thank you. So do you." Marco smiled again. "Are you ready to go?"

Ace nodded.

"You kids have fun!" Thatch called, ruining the moment entirely. He followed them out to the hallway, where Izo was waiting as well, and as proud parents, they watched them leave.

As they entered the restaurant, Ace started to wonder why he had been nervous in the first place. Marco was still Marco, even if they were on a date now. And, to be honest, it was the best date Ace had had in a long time, though that was perhaps because they were already past the awkward stage. They just talked about things they usually would talk; the only difference was that Marco's foot was now up Ace's pant leg.

As the date progressed, it became harder and harder for Ace to keep his hands off Marco. It was strange how quickly it had all changed for him, but from the moment Marco had kissed him, Ace had realised he was in love with him, and had been for a long time.

Okay, so they really had been dense.

He barely waited until they were inside the building before Ace jumped Marco, wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him intensely. Marco eagerly responded and led Ace up the stairs, his hands wandering up Ace's upper legs and cupping his ass.

"Your apartment or mine?" Ace asked panting when they stopped in front of the doors.

"I have a double bed," Marco said suggestively.

Ace grinned at him.

Marco rummaged in his pocket for his keys, but Ace was quicker with retrieving his own key for Marco's apartment and opened the door. Marco was immediately all over him again.

They barely checked if the living room was clear as they made their way through it, and Marco's shirt was half unbuttoned already when they reached his room.

As Marco closed the door behind them, Ace let go of him and let himself fall on the bed, looking around the room. He had been there often enough, though he now wished he has slept in this bed more often as well, since he had usually occupied the couch, which was much less comfortable. Suddenly, his eyes caught Marco's camera, and a grin appeared on his face. "Remember when I said that if you ever needed a model, I'd be available?"

Marco mirrored his expression. "I do. Would you like to now?"

"Only if they're for your eyes only."

"That's too bad," Marco said with an exaggerated sigh. "I was planning on making it part of an exhibition." He took his camera from his desk and aimed it at Ace.

Ace sat up a little, grabbing the hem of his shirt, and slowly started to take it off. As Marco's camera clicked, Ace started to take more and more off, until he was completely naked. He then took different poses on the bed, first sitting on his knees, but slowly lowering himself until he was lying on his back.

Whether he was aware of it or not, Marco was coming closer each time Ace changed his position, until he was almost on top of him. Soon enough, the camera was discarded – though Marco remembered in time that his camera was fragile, so he placed it back on his desk instead of throwing it– and Marco all but jumped on top of Ace. Unfortunately, he placed his knee half on Ace's hip. Ace gasped in pain, headbutting Marco as he sat up.

Marco groaned and rubbed his painful forehead. "Ouch! I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"Yeah, are you?" Ace asked.

"I am." Marco took Ace's face between his hands and sighed. "I guess I'm a little nervous."

Ace smiled. "Me too, but there's no need, right? It's just you and me."

"You're right." Marco smiled as well. "Let's just have fun." He leaned in to kiss Ace, placing his knees carefully on each side of his hips.

Ace's smile turned into a grin. "I can do that." He wrapped his arms around Marco's neck and pulled him close. He started to unbutton the rest of Marco's shirt and soon, his trousers followed as well.

A sudden knock on the door caused both of them to sit up.

"Marco, I don't care what you're doing in there, but you'd better be doing it safe," Izo's voice sounded strictly, as if he really was a concerned parent.

Marco seemed about to retort, but then his eyes widened when he realised something. "Ace, I don't think I have any condoms."

"Do you have lube?" Ace asked.

Marco opened the drawer of his nightstand and rummaged through the content. Triumphant, he took out a bottle. "I do. But no condoms." With a sigh, he rose and opened the door, where he snatched the condom Izo held ready between his index and middle finger. Immediately, Marco closed the door again.

"We owe Izo another cake for helping us out again," Ace said as he took the condom from Marco.

"I'm not sure I'm happy about that. Being in Izo's debt is a scary place to be," Marco said with a sigh, but soon enough, Ace had distracted him with kisses, pulling him back on top of him.

Marco's hands caressed his sides, almost apologetically when he reached Ace's bruised hip, slowly moving closer to his groin. Never stopping to kiss him, Ace spread his legs further and guided Marco's hand between them to his entrance. Marco teased the tight ring with his finger for a moment, before he moved slightly and poured some lube on his fingers. Ace gasped when a digit entered him, intertwining his hands with Marco's hair.

Gently, Marco started to move his finger in and out of him, watching his reactions closely. Ace had closed his eyes and bit his lip as his hips moved up at their own accord. Marco leaned down to kiss him again, his lips caressing his face.

Not knowing what to do with his hands, Ace moved them from where he gripped at the sheets to Marco's back, his nails digging into his skin when Marco added a second finger. His legs spread further.

Ace manged to open his eyes and clutched at Marco as he stared at the ceiling. He had never felt so much at the same time when he had sex with someone, and that wasn't just because Marco kept brushing his prostate. He was in love with Marco and suddenly, he felt the uncontrollable urge to tell him.

"Marco," he whispered breathlessly.

Marco looked up, but couldn't resist kissing Ace again while his fingers never stopped moving.

"I love you."

Marco smiled and kissed his lips. "I love you too."

"Fuck me," Ace whispered, pulling him close again.

Marco obliged, pulling out his fingers as Ace removed Marco's boxers that he was still wearing and slipped on the condom. Marco positioned himself and slowly slid inside Ace. Ace groaned, his brow furrowed and covered in sweat. Marco kissed his forehead and cheeks as he waited for Ace's body to adjust. Wrapping his arms around Marco's neck, Ace's hips jerked slightly, and slowly, Marco started to move.

Ace's fingers intertwined with Marco's hair, pulling the strands a little too hard as pleasure washed over him. Feeling Marco so close against him, his warm breath against Ace's skin, was a little overwhelming, but he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Marco was everything he wanted.

Marco moaned, placing his hands on Ace's hips to gain more momentum. Ace winced when he touched the painful part, but the pain was forgotten when Marco hit his prostate head on.

All too soon, Ace felt his orgasm built up, and judging Marco's missed beats, he wasn't far behind. Ace bit his lip, but that didn't prevent him from screaming Marco's name when he came. He barely noticed Marco reaching his climax as he came down from his high, but he immediately missed the warmth when Marco left the bed to discard the condom. Fortunately, Marco was back soon enough, having fetched a towel as well to clean them both from Ace's cum. When he was done, Marco threw the towel carelessly on the ground.

Ace turned around and snuggled up to Marco, enjoying the feeling when Marco wrapped his arms around him. "I had fun," he said with a smirk.

Marco smiled and kissed his hair. "So did I."

"Say, Marco," Ace said and waited until Marco had hummed that he was listing before continuing, "do you think it would be too soon to change apartments?"

"You want to continue this in your room?" Marco asked confusedly.

Ace shook his head. "I mean, we already practically already live together, so why not make it official? You can trade places with Thatch or I with Izo. Then we don't have to worry walking in on them when they're doing it anymore."

"But they won't have to fear walking in on us when _we're_ doing it either," Marco replied with a grin. "Which would serve them right. We should have started to do this a long time ago."

"I agree, but why do I have the feeling that you only mean it to get back at Thatch and Izo?" Ace elbowed him playfully in the ribs.

Marco laughed. "That would have been a bonus."

"But what do you think?" Ace asked, turning back to the original subject.

"I think," Marco pressed a kiss on his lips, "that I would love to live with you. But we need to discuss it with Thatch and Izo too, of course."

"Of course." Ace turned around in Marco's arms, so that his back was against Marco's chest. "But I hardly think they'd mind, now that they're back together." He yawned, his mind already slipping into unconsciousness. "Night, roomie."


End file.
